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At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could increase.

16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department stated.

Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still unaccounted for.

The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.

As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.

Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.

Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when burned.

Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told the media.

An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.

Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.

Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.

"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.

The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.